Missing Link: What if the 80s Germany fiber optic plan went ahead?

Missing Link: The Fight for Fiber Optic or: The missed opportunity for a broadband infrastructure initiative in Germany.

During the Chancellorship of Helmut Schmidt a plan was developed to build a huge fiber optic network, beginning in 1985, taking approximately 30 years to be completed. If is successor Helmut Kohl had not halted the project the net infrastructure in Germany would look quite different.

The SPD under Chancellor Schmidt intended to modernize the German communication infrastructure at the beginning of the 80s. The newspaper Wirtschaftwoche found in the historical archives of the government, that in a cabinet meeting in April 1981 it was decided that “as soon as it is technically possible an integrated fiber optic network should be constructed (1).” It was proposed that 1/30 of West Germany should be connected to the network each year. The cost of the project were estimated to be 3 billion DM.

But the whole endeavor was canceled under Kohl and in the end only some empty tubes were left. But what if the ambitious plan had gone ahead?

Sources

This whole POD is inspired by an article that can be found here and that I translated as well as I could:
https://www.heise.de/newsticker/mel...dausbau-in-Deutschland-3952581.html?seite=all

There is actually a bit more written about the “new media” as videotext, etc. were called in the 70s and 80s but this is the core point of the article. I know it is probably a bit obscure but nevertheless I found it fascinating.

The original protocol:
"Sobald die technischen Voraussetzungen vorliegen, wird die Deutsche Bundespost aufgrund eines langfristigen Investitions- und Finanzierungsplanes den zügigen Aufbau eines integrierten Breitbandglasfasernetzes vornehmen", heißt es im Protokoll der Kabinettssitzung vom 8. April 1981 (Aktenzeichen B 136/51074
 
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Anderman

Donor
It would hinder the introduction of DSL like in east Germany. Where after the unification a new fibre network was build but was not usesble with the then current DSL technology.
A situation similar to France with there Minitel first a leading technology later a dead end-
 
Glass fiber, or better fiber optic.
Fiberglass is the composite material with resin impregnating fiber sheets.

Just a helpful hints.
Believe me, I've made far worse mistakes in my second languages!
 
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